by Anna CampbellOh, the bliss of the summer holidays here in Australia. As I write this, just before Christmas, I'm really looking forward to a couple of days of complete sloth over the Festive season. Of lying by the pool. Of snoozing. Of knocking a few books off the TBR pile.
Every year, if I possibly can, I take the time off between Christmas and New Year. Here in Australia, basically the whole country shuts down and I don't see why I should be any different.
I stockpile special books for these days as I love to curl up with a couple of really luscious reads and enjoy my leisure time.
This year is no different (I hope. Touch wood. Salt over my shoulder). So I thought I'd share some of the books I'm really looking forward to. There are others on the pile but these are the five that caught my attention first.First is a book I read ages ago in manuscript and absolutely adored. It's the perfect Beauty and the Beast story - and as a lot of you know, that's far and away my fave fairytale. It's the second in Christina Brooke's Ministry of Marriage Series, MAD ABOUT THE EARL. Beastly Griffin (except he's mega yummy under the beastliness) and beautiful Rosamunde have such a rocky road to love when they embark upon their arranged marriage that you won't be able to put this book down. I'm looking forward to revisiting this delicious love affair and losing myself in Griffin's arms...uh, story!
Another luscious historical on the TBR pile (and another one with a beautiful blue cover!) is DESIRED by one of my long-time fave authors Nicola Cornick. This sounds like such a sexy, tug of war between duty and desire. And I already know which one is going to win. I always close Nicola's romances with a big happy sigh. Look forward to the same reaction with this one.Tawny Weber writes wonderful sexy, saucy, smart contemporary romance. SEX, LIES AND MISTLETOE is the start of a new three-parter for her and it sounds wonderful. Intrigue, forbidden attraction, lots of flirty fun. I can hardly wait.
While I'm on a category kick, I'm really looking forward to the latest Sarah Morgan. Have you read her? I think she writes the most brilliant classic Harlequin Presents (marketed here in Australia as Sexy and believe me, these books just bristle with sexual tension!). The latest is ONCE A FERRARA WIFE... (love the elipsis!) which sounds like a passionate reunion story. I devour Sarah's books in one gulp like chocolate - can't imagine this one will be any different!At the moment, I'm reading a lot of crime to go with my romance and a series I've really got hooked on is Nevada Barr's Anna Pigeon Mysteries.
Anna, the principal character, is a middle-aged widow who works as a ranger in a series of national parks across America. The descriptions of landscape and environment are extraordinary, so vivid that you actually feel like you're there. FLASHBACK is the next one I'm due to read. It's number 11 in the series and what's a nice benefit of these later books is that Anna has mended her broken heart to the point where she's have a very nice romance with a sheriff at her latest national park. I love a bit of romance to go with my murder ;-)So do you get to catch up with your reading over the Christmas/New Year break? What did you read that really made you sit up and pay attention?
26 comments:
I caught up on some of the new books that I just got. Most were first time authors and was not disappointed with any. I did get to catch up. I did not have to take the kids to school. Plus I work front desk at a hotel and this is starting our slow season, so have had extra time at work to read.
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I didn't get completely caught up. I enjoyed The Iron Druid books. I thought it was YA, but it was adult (but fairly clean, so appropriate for YA).
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Sadly, Chris, real life intruded on my Christmas break and I didn't get nearly as much reading done as I wanted to. The good news is everything on this list was WONDERFUL! Glad you caught up on a bit of reading too.
Anne, my TBR pile is still taunting me. Sounds like yours is too. I didn't know about the Iron Druid books. Just checked them out. They look really interesting! Thanks for the recommendation.
This Christmas, I managed to get my TBR down to less than 10 books.
Stand out titles from my Christmas reading:
Sophie Jordan's Wicked in Your Arms
Sabrina Jeffries' To Wed a Wild Lord
Courtney Milan's Unraveled
Oh, great list, Tin! I didn't read a lot of historicals over Christmas although I really enjoyed Nicola's.
Hi Anna!! I know, I know I have abandoned you... but no, I'm still here, just a bit busy lately.
My TBR pile is huge! I even need to clean the side of my bed because it's a total mess. But I never get around to it :(
How are you doing? And when is your next book coming out?
Great blog btw.
Hugs and blessings,
Delia
Hi Anna(waving madly),
So many great release from the Banditas. I did manage to read a few books over the holidays, but then I got into a mini reading funk. I started to catch up on my TV shows and movies that I had on DVD.
Hi Delia! Hey, this time of year, everyone's busy. Hope you had a great Christmas and wishing you a happy 2012. Just putting the finishing touches to the next book as we speak. It's out late this year. When I get a few more confirmed details, I promise you'll be the first to know ;-)
Jane, my Bandita sisters have been really busy, haven't they? And all such good books - it's hard to keep up. Sorry about the funk!
Lots of good books out there! My reading habits usually stay the same, unless I go on a beach vacation which means I can read for hours, otherwise I read at least for an hour or more every night!
Catslady, when I was younger (and meaner, LOL!), I used to laugh at my mother dropping off after a few pages at night. And now I'm exactly the same. Clearly I'm no longer a whippersnapper!
I got a few read, but was still busy visiting with family & recovering from the Christmas rush. I did get to read Mary Baologh's 'A Christmas Promise' and Debbie Macomber's '1105 Yalima Street'.
Di, as I said, sadly my plans for Christmas didn't quite pan out either. Must have been something in the stars! I love Mary Balogh's books and I was lucky enough to meet Debbie Macomber a couple of years ago when she came over to a Romance Writers of Australia conference. Lovely lady if you ever get the chance to see her in person.
Hi Anna! Yes I had a great Christmas and I'm sure this 2012 is going to be wonderful, full of changes and great new things.
I will hold you to that promise, I want to know when I should be expecting that book out ;)
How about you, did you have a good Christmas?
I didn't get quite the break I was hoping for, Delia. But Christmas is always nice, isn't it? And the hot weather which is often awful at that time of year held off until a couple of days ago so it was actually really pleasant just hanging out.
I'm actually busy watching movies for my Movie Madness Challenge. Oh, I squeeze the odd book in there. But only the odd ones. ;-)
Catching up with reading? You just gave me several more wonderful books to add to my ever growing TBR list.
Mason
Thoughts in Progress
Tch, tch, Julia! Visual over print media? Mind you, somebody's gotta love the ODD books ;-)
Hey, cool, Mason. Enjoyed visiting your blog today when my friend Jo Robertson was guesting. Loved ALL these books! ;-)
I don't think I will ever totally catch up on all my reading. That's a good thing I think. Over the holidays I probably read less, too many interruptions.
Mary, I was disappointed at how few books I managed to conquer over Christmas. Usually it's a big read-fest for me. Oh, well, next year! The nice things about books is they don't have a use-by date. And of course, I hit the Book Depository and I've got a whole stack of new things to read as well too now! I'm addicted ;-)
Thanks, everyone, for the fun discussion! Always love to talk about good books with other avid readers.
I think I read about 5 or 6 books during the month of December. I was so busy shopping, wrapping presents, going to parties and dinner that I didn't read as much as I usually do. My TBR pile is absolutely huge! Probably over 300 books but they are nicely organized in a rotating shelving unit that takes up one corner of my bedroom.
Thanks so much for the shout-out, Anna! You're a sweetheart! Love the look of the other recommendations you made too. I'll be sure to check them out.
I rediscovered Lorraine Heath!
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